Corner stud construction



Jan. 17, 1956 l.. H. ALLxSON CORNER STUD CONSTRUCTION Filed March 24,1952 Srwentor LLOYD H #LL/50N Gttorneg United States Patent O CORNERSTUD CONSTRUCTION Lloyd Hamilton Allison, Los Angeles, Calif., assignorto Plan-It Homes, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of CaliforniaApplication March 24, 1952, Serial No. 278,262

4 Claims. (Cl. 189-38) This invention relates to a corner studconstruction and has for an object to provide a novel and improvedsimplified construction that can be assembled without tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a corner stud of novelcross-sectional form so as to be strong yet light in'weight.

The invention also has for'its objects to provide such means that arepositive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed'in a workingposition and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture,relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear inthe course of the following description. However, the drawing merelyshows and the following description merely describes one embodiment ofthe present invention, which is given by way of illustration or exampleonly.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in theseveral views.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view, broken at both ends, of a corner studconstruction according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-Sectional view as taken on line 2-2 of Fig.l.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the manner of assembling said studconstruction.

The present stud construction is adapted for use in a building in whichthe walls comprise substantially uniformly spaced metal studs, andpanels spanning between the studs. The present stud is intended astypical of one that would be used at the exteriorcorners of such abuilding. It will be realized that such studs are erected on a sill andconnected across the top by a girder to form a metal skeleton receptiveof the spanning panels, the latter being firmly held in place by sideand corner cover plates applied from the outside and fastened to thestuds to thereby firmly lock the panels in place.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, the present corner studcomprises, generally, an elongated stud element 5, and a wiring cover 6having friction engagement with said element to enclose the interiorthereof. Of this stud construction, element is the one that is connectedat the ends to a sill and girder.

Stud element 5 is formed of sheet metal of which steel is preferred. Thecross-sectional form of said element comprises outer walls 7 connectedat a corner 8 and at right angles to each other, side walls 9 bent fromcorners 10 at the edges of walls 7 and at right angles to the respectivewalls 7, and outwardly turned flanges 11 bent at right angles fromcorners 12 at the edges of walls 9. Formed in this manner, stud element5 has, in part, a generally square or rectangular cross-sectional formin which one corner is open and in which the opening is defined betweencorner bends 12. The flanges 11 cooperate with the flange edges of anangle member (not shown) disposed with its flanges parallel to andspaced ice from walls 7 to comprise channels receptive of the lateraledges of wall panels. Said angle member does not comprise a part of thepresent invention and is mentioned to give purpose to flanges 11.However, the corner bends 12 are important to the invention, since theydefine the throat through which element 6 is passed into operativeposition.

Stud element 5, in suitable longitudinally spaced relation, is providedwith transverse plates 13 that, by welds 14, are permanently secured inplace. Said plates 13 are formed with edge flanges that tightly fitwithin walls 7 and 9. A relatively large hole 16 is provided in eachplate 13.

Each plate 13, while mainly rectangular or square, at the end thereofdirected toward the corner opening in element 5, isfprovided by a rightangled notch 17 defined between two V-shaped lobes 18, and with twosimilar acute-angled notches 19 defined between said lobes and the mainportion of the plate. The edges 20 of notch 17 are respectivelysubstantially aligned with the flanges 11, while the edges 21 of notches19 converge slightly toward each other from the rounded ends 22 of lobes18 so as to form a serrated wedge-lock member having or approximating anoutline of a letterM. Said rounded ends are so spaced from corners 12that narrow passages 23 are formed between said corners and roundedends.

The wiring cover 6 is also preferably formed of sheet steel but of asomewhat thinner gauge so as to have limited flexibility. Said cover, incross-section, resembles the outline of a letter M in which theintermediate walls 24 are at right angles and are connected by a cornerbend 25, and the outer walls 26 extend from corner bends 27 in generallyparallel relation. Each wall 26, along a line 2S is bent to form anobtuse angle so that the ends 29 of walls 26 are directed toward eachother at quite a small angle.

It will be seen that cover 6 has a cross-sectional shape that isgenerally similar to the shape defined by edges 20 and 21 of plates 13.Therefore, upon application of said cover to stud element 5, the formermay be pressed into place with walls 24 engaging against and beinglimited by edges 20. Edges 21 being widest spaced at ends 22, ends 29 ofwalls 26 are somewhat straightened, as the same are introduced intonarrow passages 23, because of confinement by corners 12 and saidrounded ends 22. Since edges 21 converge, as cover 6 is being pressedinto place, wall ends 29 flex inwardly as they follow the convergingedges 21. Consequently, when walls 24 achieve abutment against edges 20,cover 6 forms a tensioned engagement with the column and is firmly heldin place to completely enclose the interior of the stud which, thereby,is adapted to be utilized as a wiring chase.

While not so shown in Fig. 2, in practice, cover walls 24 abut edges 20so as to be in substantial alignment with flanges 11.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is nowregarded as the preferred embodiment, the construction is of course,subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. It is, therefore, not desired to restrict the inventionto the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but tocover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a corner stud having an elongated sheet metal stud element bentinto a rectangular shape having a longitudinal corner opening, spacedtransverse plates fixed in said element, each said plate having threenotches to form a serrated wedge-lock member approximating an outline ofa letter M, with two corners of said M pointing toward said corneropening to define two lobes, and an Velongated sheet metalelementspanning said corner opening and formed .to have an .nn- Shapedcrosssection Substantially tting and forming a mating engagement withsaid wedge-lock member.

2. VA corner stud .comprising a pxeouned sheet-metal member, said membercomprising a vhollow column having, in pant, a generally rectangulargross-section, ,said sheet-metal .defining four walls of 4said column,,two adjacent inner-walls ,of said column having .outwardly bentportions `eforrning 1a :longitudinal corner opening extending throughthe length of said column, spaced transverse pilates mounted -withinsaid column, each plate having two substantially V- shaped ,lobespointing inthe ,direction of ,said longitudinal corner opening andhaving an M-,shaped outline, and .a ,sheet-metal cover :member closingsaid opening, said cover having a cross-section corresponding to theM-shaped outline of said lobes and forming a :tensioned matingengagement with vsaid lobes and with :said inner walls `at the bentportions of said inner walls.

3. .A corner stud ,comprising va preformed sheet-metal member, saidmember comprising a hollow column havfing, in part, a .generallyrectangular ,cross-section, said ysheet-.metal defining four wallsofsaidcolumn, two outer adjacent walls of said column meeting each other :toform lan o uter .corner of said column, and two inner adjacent walls ofsaid column having portions of their respective wallwidths bentoutwardly to form two rectangular I=1anges extending through the lengthof said column and forming a corner opening along the inner corner ofSaid column, spaced transverse .Plates mounted Within said column, eachplate having two substantially V-shaped lobes pointing in the directionof said longitudinal corner opening and having an M-shaped outline, anda sheetmetal cover member closing said opening, said cover having across-section corresponding to the M-shaped outline of said lobes andforming a tensioned mating engagement with -said lobes and with `saidinner walls at the bent portions of said inner walls.

4. A corner stud as deiined in claim 3, in which said two V-shaped lobesare positioned at an angle with respect to each other in a plane of saidplate, said lobes having outer edges converging toward the outer cornerof said column, and said cover having Yits wall portions, engaging saidouter edges, bent inwardly for increasing tile tensioned matingengagement with said lobes.

References Cited in the file `of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

